The Police Department received approval through the FY12 Equipment Replacement Plan (ERP) to replace three patrol cars with four-wheel drive pickups. The State of Montana does an RFP for law enforcement vehicles annually. Local government agencies are allowed to use the same vendor that the State chooses for its law enforcement vehicles. Bison Ford Company, Great Falls, Montana, was selected as the vendor to provide the State of Montana with the Ford F150 4x4 SuperCrew pickups for the 2011 model year. The state contract price for each vehicle is $27,511.65. Staff is requesting Council approval to purchase three patrol pickups from Bison Ford Motor Company of Great Falls for the price of $27,511.65 each, or a total cost of $82,534.95.

However, at its July 11 meeting, Council postponed the item to Aug. 8 because it was a capital item in the FY 2012 budget, which had not yet been approved. Later in the July 11 meeting, the Council approved the FY 2012 budget. Staff now asks that the Council consider adding this item to the July 25 consent agenda, rather than waiting until Aug. 8, so  the vehicles can be ordered easily before a mid-August deadline.

A 3/4 vote of the Council members present July 25 would be needed to add this item to the consent agenda. A simple majority then would be required for approval.

Council is being asked to add the item to the July 25 consent agenda and then may:

• Approve the purchase of three patrol pickups, or
• Do not approve the purchase of three patrol pickups

The three patrol pickups are budgeted for in the FY 12 Equipment Replacement Plan.

Staff recommends that City Council add the item to the July 25 consent agenda, and then approve the replacement of three patrol cars with three Ford F150 4X4 SuperCrew pickups budgeted through the approved FY12 Equipment Replacement Plan.